chapter 3

the Bible

the most important influence on English and American law/politics

• john wycliffe

• william Tyndale

fill in the blank

through the efforts of _____ ________ and _______ _______, the Bible was translated into English

common law

the form of law in England during the middle ages; a non-codified (unwritten) group of laws based on customs and heritage

alfred the great

created an edition of the English law code prefaced with the 10 Commandments

henry de bracton

“Father of the Common Law”; described it as the rule of law over the rule of man

edward coke

the “law of nature” (established by God) rules over any of man’s laws

william Blackstone

taught the Common Law is based on God’s revealed and natural law; most important legal commentator

commentaries on the laws of England

what did William Blackstone write?

henry II

established England’s first system of trial by jury; promoted the ideas of equality under the law and innocence until guilt is proven

limited representative

fill in the blank

england has a ______ __________ government

1. limited

2. representative

fill in the blank

england had a monarch with _____ powers and a Parliament for ___________ rights

witan

fill in the blank

the ______ (nobility and clergy) was replaced by the Great Council and The King’s Court to “check” the king’s power

1265

the Great Council evolved into Parliament through the work of Simon de Montfort

1. parliament

2. Simon de Montfort

fill in the blank

in 1265, the Great Council evolved into _________ through the work of ______ ___ ________

king edward I

created the current form of Parliament in 1295 (Model Parliament)

1295

king edward created the current form of Parliament in _____ (Model Parliament)

1. house of Lords

2. house of Commons

fill in the blank

parliament has an upper house (_____ __ ______) and a lower house (______ ___ _________)

• magna Carta

• English bill of rights

two of the greatest achievements of England’s Government

magna Carta

the nobles forced King John to sign this, placing him “under the law”

1215

when was the magna carta signed?

english bill of rights

created for the English in 1689; main purpose was to limit the monarch’s power

1689

fill in the blank

the English bill of rights was created for the English in _____; main purpose was to limit the monarch’s power

mayflower compact

a document that did not establish a form of government but a desire to be obedient to the king; God was recognized as ultimate Ruler

royal

directly controlled by the king

8

how many royal colonies were there?

proprietary

ruled by a man appointed be the king

3

how many proprietary colonies were there?

self-governing

freedom to rule within reason

2

how many self-governing colonies were there?

charter

a document issued by the crown that established the relationship between the king and his subjects

principle of common law

fill in the blank

the __________ ____ _______ _____ were brought to America

higher law

fill in the blank

the principle of ______ ___ (God’s Law) was practiced and believed

representative government

fill in the blank

the 13 colonies eventually had a form of _________ _________; Ex: House of Burgesses (VA)

unicameral

one-house legislature (Pennsylvania)

bicameral

two-house legislature (all other colonies)

lower house

fill in the blank

upper house was smaller, but _____ ______ was more powerful because they controlled the money

north

the town was the main unit of local government

south

the county was the main unit of local government

great awakening

spiritual revival which swept the American colonies between 1730 and 1760

• jonathan Edwards

• George Whitefield

two prominent ministers from the great awakening

new England confederation

first attempt at political unity

albany plan

proposed for the uniting of the colonies

george III

became King of England in 1760; led England to have more control over the colonies

• william Pitt

• edmund Burke

fill in the blank

_______ ____ and ________ _______ were allies of the colonists

stamp act congress

delegates from 9 colonies met to discuss the problems of taxes and Parliament

declaration of rights and grievances

protested the stamp act and other British regulations

first continental Congress

met to discuss to the Intolerable Acts

intolerable acts

fill in the blank

the first continental Congress met to discuss to the _________ _____

second continental Congress

met after the war began; America’s 1st central government

declaration of independence

written by Thomas Jefferson and voted and approved on July 4, 1776

1. thomas Jefferson

2. July 4, 1776

fill in the blank

the declaration of independence was written by _______ ________ and voted and approved on _____ ___, ______

revolutionary

fill in the blank

the declaration of independence is not a “___________” document

1. foreign alliances

2. crown’s actions

3. reconciliation with England

fill in the blank

with the declaration of independence,

1. They needed to secure _______ _________ 

2. They wanted to inform the colonists of the ______’__ ________ 

3. They wanted to preclude any sentiment toward __________ ___ ________

equal

fill in the blanK

with the declaration of independence, “all men are created ______”

27

fill in the blank

the declaration of independence listed ___ specific grievances against the king

parliament’s

fill in the blank

the declaration of independence denied ___________’__ authority